Improvements to related network technology are described in co-assigned patent applications, Ser. No. 08/641,619, filed May 1, 1996, entitled Scalable CSMA/CD Repeater; and another filed May 16, 1997 (application no. not yet received), entitled Symmetrical Flow Control for Gigabit Ethernet Full Duplex Buffer Repeater.
The current invention relates to the field of electronic circuits. More particularly, the current invention relates to improvements in networked computer environments and has particular applications to the transmission of information between digital devices over a communications medium. A very wide variety of types of computer systems and networks exist, each having variations in particular implementations. The present invention will be described with reference to particular types of systems for clarity but this should not be taken to limit the invention, and it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that the invention has applications in many different types of computer systems. The invention therefore should not be seen as limited except as specifically herein provided.
Digital computer networks have become ubiquitous in academic, industry, and office environments. A number of different aspects of computer networks are discussed in co-assigned pending U.S. applications Ser. Nos. 08/313,674; 08/542,157; 08/506,533; and 08/329,714 each of which are incorporated herein by reference to the extent necessary to understand the invention.